Alan,
I'll dispute that statement because I came out of the RAF on 8th May 1957. It took several months to find my feet again, because those were times of great change, and when you're away for two years, all your friends have gone their separate ways and you tend to make a few new ones. The first of the latter was two years older than me and also worked at BCT in Congreve Street. He'd been a vocalist with an Army (Signals) band at Blandford Forum and I did a few gigs with him and musicians he knew. But within a few months I'd found new friends and we were frequenting a host of coffee bars - the one at the top of Martineau Street with no name, Siesta, Sombrero, Zambesi, Stage Door, Jungle, to name the ones that we generally used.
By late 1959 I'd left BCT and was working at Lucas GKS and was heavily involved in writing arrangements for a 16 piece rehearsal band and a Four Freshmen-styled vocal group and for the whole of 1960 I was tied up with this until I moved south on 9th January 1961. So for me the coffee bar era was certainly in full swing in 1958 and the first half of 1959. I think that Judy (Jayell) can probably verify this too.
Trevor,
The drummer with the Lunchbox TV outfit was Lionel Rubin and last year he was still alive and kicking and living in Leicestershire. I was aware that Lionel was doing a few gigs aside from his work with ATV, but I can't remember who with or where.. The remainder of the Lunchbox band was Jerry Allen (organ & leader), Alan Grahame (vibes). and Ken Ingarfield (bass), and the only one I had brief contact with was Alan. Below a picture of Lionel, who was of Russian/Jewish descent and was very good drummer.
Maurice
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